PARIS (dpa-AFX) - The French market is trading lower on Wednesday, after data showed that Eurozone manufacturing moved closer to stagnation in September.
Final data from Markit Economics showed the Eurozone manufacturing moved closer to stagnation in September as German factory sector contracted for the first time in 15 months.
The manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index fell to 50.3 from August's reading of 50.7. The reading was below the earlier flash estimate of 50.5.
Among the major four nations, the German and French manufacturing shrank, while Italy and Spain expanded in September.
Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturing growth held steady in September from the previous month, official data showed today, easing concerns about a sharp slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.
The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks is down 0.04 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, is falling 0.08 percent.
The German DAX is gaining 0.24 percent and Switzerland's SMI is fractionally higher. The French CAC 40 and the FTSE 100 index of the U.K. are falling 0.15 percent and 0.25 percent, respectively.
The CAC 40 index is currently down 0.34 percent.
Orange is declining 2.6 percent. French state-owned investment bank Bpifrance said it would sell about 50 million shares in the telecom firm as part of a plan to cut its stake in the company to 11.6 percent.
Technip is falling 2.4 percent and Solvay is losing 2.3 percent.
HSBC raised Unibail-Rodamco to 'Overweight' from 'Neutral.' The stock is unchanged.
Major markets in the region are trading mixed.
The Asian stocks turned in a mixed performance, as investors digested weak U.S. consumer confidence data and the report showing continued decline in eurozone inflation to a five-year low in September.
In the U.S., futures point to a lower open on Wall Street. Stocks finished a choppy session slightly lower overnight. The Dow slid 0.2 percent, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq and the S&P 500 fell about 0.3 percent each.
Crude for November delivery is adding $0.30 to $91.46 per barrel, while December gold is falling $4.9 to $1206.7 a troy ounce.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX